BAJAUR August 2, 2025: Tribal elders in Bajaur directly asked Afghan Taliban fighters to withdraw from the region after three days of heightened tension.
A 50-member jirga met the militants in the Laghrai Mamond area, demanding that they either return to Afghanistan or relocate to the nearby mountains to avoid endangering civilians.
Gul Karim Khan, Chairman of the Bajaur Peace Jirga, and senior leader Haroon Rashid led the delegation. Local MPAs Dr. Hamidur Rehman and Anwar Zeb Khan also participated in the talks, lending political support to the effort.
The elders told the Taliban their presence had sparked fear and disruption in local communities. They offered to coordinate with the government to provide a safe route back to Afghanistan, if the fighters agreed to leave peacefully.
The Taliban responded by saying they would consult their leadership across the border and provide a decision by 12 PM tomorrow.
By confronting the militants directly, the jirga has taken a bold step to restore peace through local initiative rather than force.